Riding for Love (A Western Romance) (20 page)

The sheriff took out a spiral notepad from inside his suit jacket and jotted down a few notes. He grinned at his wife’s sigh. “I know, honey. This is our evening out, but something is going on around here, and I need to get a handle on it.”

“Get a handle on what?” Eve asked.

“You’re not the only one having issues, Eve.”

A frown creased Denton’s brow. “What do you mean?”

Dan tossed the pen and notebook onto the table, leaned back in his chair, and put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Tell them what you heard last week, hon.”

“Well, I was at the hair salon with Diane Nelson, you know they have the farm behind you.”

Eve raised an eyebrow.

Beth laughed. “Well, the farm several miles behind your property. Anyway, she said things have gone missing, a few things broken. Like you, nothing significant, but adding up to where some machinery can’t be used to harvest their crops which could cause financial problems.”

“I’ve talked to two other owners in your vicinity with the same issues. So you can understand why I’m concerned.” Dan flipped his notebook closed.

“Why on earth would somebody be doing this? As far as I know, I don’t have any enemies.”

Denton snorted.

Eve folded the napkin and pressed in on the table. “Well, except for Marie, possibly Snook, and now my dad.”

Dan shook his head. “I’d like permission to come out to your place and take a look around. I would also like to talk more about what happened tonight with Marie and about your father. We haven’t seen hide nor hair of the guy.” He took a drink of his beer and looked at his wife. “But, we are on a date tonight, and I really want to dance with this sexy babe sitting next to me.”

“Good reply, hon,” Beth said, punching him the shoulder.

Eve grinned at the couple who seemed so much in love. “Coming out tomorrow is fine, but I’m not sure what you will find.”

He stood up and took his wife’s hand. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”

The music started and couples moved toward the dance floor. Denton rose and helped Eve from her chair. “Let me know what time you’re heading to Eve’s and I’ll meet you there. And I agree about dancing. You up for it, Eve?”

Dan and his wife moved to the dance floor and she and Denton followed. Eve let out a slow breath when he wrapped his arms around her waist. She put her arms around his shoulders and snuggled her face into his neck, breathing his singular masculine scent mixed with soap. Swaying back and forth to the melodic music was the closest to making love they’d had in far too long. His bulge pressed against her.

“Stop that,” he whispered in her ear.

“Stop what?”

“Rubbing against me.”

She giggled. “I’m not rubbing against you, you’re rubbing against me.”

He chuckled against her cheek. “Well, then let’s stop rubbing against each or we’ll be stuck out here for the duration of the night. Right now, my hard-on would be obvious to one and all.”

Over his shoulder, Eve watched the other dancers move slowly around the floor. She figured there was probably more than one man worrying about leaving the floor with some dignity. She jerked her head up and groaned.

“What’s wrong?”

“Guess.”

Marie and Max danced toward them, Denton’s ex shooting daggers at them over Max’s shoulders. “If looks could kill, I wouldn’t need to worry about leaving the floor with a woody. I’d be dead.”

“Yeah, she looks pretty pissed.” Eve gritted her teeth. “Shit, they’re dancing this way. You don’t think she’d be foolish enough to cut in, do you?”

“I wouldn’t put anything past her. What about Max?” Denton moved, placing several other couples between them. “Would he want to dance with you?”

“I don’t know. I never danced with him.” Eve leaned back and smiled up at Denton. “You’re not jealous, are you?”

“No. Maybe a little.”

“Seriously, Dent, I only went out to dinner with him a few times. Most of our contact came when he checked out my animals. I never thought we were anything more than friends.”

“Any man in his right mind would want to be with you, Eve.”

“I’m glad you think that, but you are the only one I’m interested in, Denton Johanson.” She poked him in the chest. “And I like it that way.”

“Uh, oh,” he whispered.

“What?”

“They’re almost on us. Let’s get out of here.” He took her hand and led her off the dance floor.

“Sounds like a plan. I need to use the ladies’ room, first.”

“Okay, but make it fast.”

“In a hurry, are you?” She glanced pointedly at his pants. “What about you know what?”

“Right now, I don’t give a damn. Hurry. Then we can find someplace where Tom can’t find us and I, I mean we, can take care of this little problem.”

Eve paused at the bathroom door. “Doesn’t seem so little to me.” She laughed when he rolled his eyes.

“Don’t dawdle!”

Chapter 18

Ten minutes later, frustrated at being stopped by two of her classmates wanting to catch up on old times, Eve finally stepped into the hallway separating the restrooms from the main part of the country club.

To her chagrin, Denton wasn’t waiting for her. Had he gone for another drink? After all, she’d been in bathroom forever. She walked around the corner and ran into a solid body. Thrilled to have found him, she was surprised at another man’s voice.

“Eve, honey. Just the woman I hoped to find.”

“Max?” She peered around his body. “Where’s Marie?” She didn’t care for the predatory gleam in his eyes, or for the smirk crossing his lips.

“Oh, she’s occupied right now.” He took hold of her elbow. “Besides, you’re the one I want to be with, not Marie. She’s one crazy woman.”

Eve attempted to yank her elbow from his grip. To her dismay, he tightened his hold.

“Right now I want to spend some time with you. I’ve missed you.”

“You know I’ve been busy.” She gave up struggling against his hand as they went out onto the country club’s wraparound deck.

Max released her elbow, leaned against the railing, and faced her. “So I’ve been told.”

“This is a busy time of the year, Max.” Eve frowned. “What’s this about?”

“Not so busy you can’t go out with that Johansen fellow.”

“What I do with my spare time is none of your business. You and I are friends.” She moved to step around him. “Only friends,” she stressed.

Max grabbed her by the upper arms and yanked her against him.

“Max, what the hell are you doing?”

“Taking what I’ve wanted since I met you. From what I understand, you’re giving it to him. Why not me?”

Eve pushed against his chest. Years of handling large animals had built up his muscles and it was like pushing a freight train. But years of handling horses, feed, and tack had given her a few muscles of her own, and when he brought his mouth toward hers, she turned her head. The kiss landed on her cheek.

She pushed harder against his chest, seconds away from smacking him across the cheek. “Max, stop!” He finally released her arms and stepped back. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“He’s only using you, Eve.”

“Who?”

“Johansen. He’ll get what he wants from you and dump you like before.”

Eve folded her arms under her breasts. “What do you know about that?”

Max leaned back against the railing and crossed his ankles, resting his hands behind him on the top of the railing. “He dated you in high school because he was sorry for you, and as soon as he and Marie got to college, he dumped you for her.”

“Sounds like Marie’s version. Did she bother to tell you how she got Dent to marry her?”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, in fact, it does matter. To me anyway. She’s a liar, and I don’t like that you are willing to believe what she says over me.”

“So you do care?” She snarled at him, and he sighed. “Hell, she does seem a little crazy to me.”

“If she’s crazy, why believe her and not me?” Eve thought if he shrugged one more time, she’d smack him a good one, and not on the lips.

“I guess because it’s easier to believe the worse in people.”

“So, even though you think the worst of me, you still want to be with me. This doesn’t make sense.”

Again the shoulder shrug.

“If you want me so bad, why are you with Marie tonight?”

“Jealous?”

Hands clenched at her sides, she refrained from smacking the smile from his face. “Not hardly.” She backed up a step when he reached out to take her in his arms. “You didn’t answer my question, Max. Why are you with Marie tonight?”

“A means to an end.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Time will tell.” This time he didn’t allow her to move away and grabbed her hand.

“Let go of me, Max, or I’ll scream so loud, the entire city will hear me, not to mention the sheriff who is in the next room.”

“No need to scream. I wouldn’t hurt you. I want to show you something.”

“Then let go.”

Max released her hand and motioned for her to move in front of him. “We’re going around the corner,” he said in a louder voice.

Eve was puzzled. Why did he need to raise his voice? His strange comment became perfectly clear when they rounded the corner. She gasped at the sight before her.

Marie and Denton stood hip-to-hip. His ex’s hands were on either side of his face, their lips locked in a kiss.

Eve wanted to scream, run, hide. Max was right. It was high school all over again. Denton was playing with her and her emotions. Damn the son-of-a-bitch. Tears swam in her eyes.

Max put his hands on her shoulders. “Sorry you had to witness this, Eve, but I wanted you to understand what kind of man you’re involved with.”

Through the red haze of anger, she blinked away her tears, and stepped closer to the couple. But, contrary to what she’d first thought, their hips were not locked together. Hands clenched at his sides and eyes wide open, Denton appeared to be inching his body away from Marie’s. His eyes widened when he noticed Eve. She watched as he tried to pry Marie’s lips from his.

“Well, well, well,” Max said before Eve said anything. “Look at our dates, Eve. We turn our backs for one second and they’re practically going at it like rabbits. And in public, too.” He took her arm. “Come on, babe, let’s leave these two alone.”

Eve wasn’t sure what game Max and Marie were playing, but she wasn’t one of the characters.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” She yanked her arm from Max’s grasp.

At the sound of her voice, Marie had released her lip-lock, wrapped her arms around Denton’s neck, and looked up in mock surprise. “Max. Eve. We didn’t hear you. Dent and I are . . . Well, you can see for yourself we’re renewing our relationship.”

Eve shook her head. “Good heavens, Marie. I thought you had acting lessons in California. No wonder you had to come back to Wisconsin. You must have flunked them all.”

Even with his arms hanging at his sides, Marie continued holding Denton. The panic on his face was priceless.

“Eve, this isn’t what it seems. One minute I’m waiting for you and the next . . .”

Eve took her gaze off Denton and slipped it to Marie, who was looking over her shoulder at Eve. Marie’s smug smirk brought Eve several steps closer.

“If this wasn’t so pathetic, I’d laugh,” she said.

Marie dropped her arms, her smirk dropping a notch. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Shaking her head, Eve swept an arm at the couple. “Who is kissing who and who is standing there, arms at his sides, hands clenched in fists? Doesn’t seem like Denton’s interested, Marie.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. He acted quite willing to me.” She tugged at Denton’s arms.

Eve gave Marie another long stare, ignoring Max’s attempts at urging her away from the scene. “I have no idea what you’re up to, but Denton loves me and wants nothing to do with you or your lies and schemes.” She held her hand out to Denton.

“Denton, honey?” Marie whined when he edged away.

He stood at Eve’s side, took her hand, and looked at Marie, sadness written on his face. “I’m not your honey. Never was, never will be. When will you get that through your head? You put me through hell for too many years, and I want nothing to do with you, so stop playing your little games and leave me the hell alone! I love Eve. Always have, always will.”

“Hold on, old man,” Max said. “You can’t talk to her like that.”

Denton rounded on him. “Max, I don’t know what the hell your take is in this or what this little scenario was supposed to prove, but I think you need to butt out and take your date home.”

“I agree, Max,” Eve said, standing in front of Denton, facing Max. “One minute you’re with Marie and the next you tell me you want to be with me. What’s the deal?”

“What?” Marie screeched and pushed past Eve and Denton. Arms akimbo, she stood in front of Max. “What the hell is she talking about?”

Max shrugged and gave her a piercing look. “I don’t know what she’s talking about, Marie. You told me how she is, so who are you going to believe, Eve or me.” He took Marie’s hand and led her toward the building’s doors. “Time to go, Marie. We’ll discuss this later.”

Marie glanced over shoulder, giving Denton a beseeching look and Eve a chilling one. After they were out of sight, Denton pulled Eve into his arms.

“Thank you for not believing what you were seeing, honey.” He breathed deeply, letting her essence seep through his bones, banishing Marie’s scent, calming him.

“I trust you, Dent.”

He leaned back and searched her eyes. “You didn’t believe I would kiss her for even one second?”

Eve smiled and rubbed her hands up and down his back. “I have to admit that, for just a second, my anger blinded me. Then through the haze, I realized your arms were at your sides. Marie kissed you, not the other way around. I also thought about what we’ve had the past month. You wouldn’t betray my trust.”

Denton groaned into her neck. “I do love you, Eve Dayton, so much I ache.”

“And I love you, Denton Johanson, so much it scares me.”

“Scares you? Why?”

“It’s so much, so fast. With all the stuff that is going on at the ranch, I can’t help worrying this has something to do with you.” He jerked back. “Geez, I didn’t mean you’re involved or you’re causing the problems. Just that your being here has something to do with it all.”

He relaxed. “Like I’m some kind of obstacle to someone getting to you.”

“Sounds clear to me.”

Denton chuckled. “Yeah, right.”

“Enough of this. Let’s go find someplace private.”

“Like where? Tom’s been jinxing our attempts to be together.”

“Well, I happen to know he is occupied tonight, all night in fact. So we can go back to my place. You can leave before he returns to the ranch in the morning.”

Denton wrapped his arm around her waist and grinned when she did the same. Hip-to-hip, they headed to the deck stairs leading to the parking lot.

“Geez, I feel like a teenager sneaking around behind my parent’s back.”

Eve giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“How about parents sneaking behind their kids’ backs?”

Denton was almost afraid to ask what she meant. Before he’d left the house tonight, it’d seemed his mother was a little more perky than usual. “Who?”

“Your mother and Tom. So I don’t think she wants you coming home, either.”

“Seriously? My mother?” His voice rose several octaves. “My mother and Tom? Well, that son-of-a-bitch. Keeping us apart while he and mom . . .”

She tapped a finger against his lips. “Shhh. Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth.”

“Hell, I don’t want to look in any horse’s mouth.” He paused at the car door and frowned. “But Mom and Tom?” He shook his head and opened the door.

“They’ve been an item for a few months now. She’s happy again and Tom, well, he’s like a father to me and if she makes him happy, then I’m happy too.

She got into the SUV. Denton closed the door and slid across the hood like he did in high school. Once inside, he grinned at her like a little boy hoping for praise.

“Show off.” She laughed. “Now get this baby in gear and don’t take the long way home.”